Apparatus for assembling articles



P 2, 1947. E. J. LARSEN 2,426,623

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed Aug. 6, 1945 FIG. 2 INVENTOR 5.1 L RSEN A 7' TORNE V Patented Sept. 2, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,426,623 APPARATUS FOR AssEMBnIN'G Aa'rioLEs Elmer J. Larsen, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August's, 1945, Serial No. 609,220

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for assembling articles and more particularly to apparatus for applying insulating discs to conductors.

in the manufacture of coaxial cables o'fa type having central conductors on which spaced insulating discs are assembled to form a core unit around which a tubular conductor is placed, in-

sulating discs made of polymerized ethylene (polyethylene) sometimes have been carried by applicator wheels which moved the discs past knives to slit them and then forced the discs onto a central conductor. The applicator wheels formerly used had notches designed to receive portions of the insulating discs and the insmafins discs were occasionally damaged as they were moved over the knives and onto the conductor, since the portions of the insulating discs engaged by the applicatorwheels were relatively small and the discs of polymerized ethylene were moderately soft and pliable. As a result, the damaged discs would not adhere firmly to the conductor and would tend to slide therealong and some even would come off the conductor.

An object of the invention is the provision of new and improved apparatus for assembling a'rticles. T i

One apparatus embodying the invention includes an applicator wheel having sockets therein for receiving insulating discs of a depth substantially equal to the diameter of the insulating discs.

In practicing the invention, a pair of feed chutes supply insulating discs made of, polyethylene to'a pair of plungers, The plungers push the disc's into deep, wide-mouthed notches formed in a pair of inrunning applicator wheels. Theapplic'ator wheels are provided with backing plates of substantially the same height as the diameter of the insulatingidiscs and the applicator wheels move the insulating discs past a knife, whichslits the insulating discs, and then along a guide which enters th'e'slit'sin the insulating discs, hold the slits open, and holdthe discs in orientated positiohs. The applicator wheels force theinsulating discs over a central conductor, which enters the discs through the open slits as itis advanced along the peripheries of the wheels, and each applicator wheel is provided with recesses to provideclearance for the backing plates of the other wheel and the insulating discs onthe backing plates thereof. The applicator wheelsalso have grooves inthe peripheries thereof to provide clearance for the knives, the guides and the central conductor.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed descrip tion of an apparatus for assembling articles forminga specific embodirn'ent thereof, when read conjunction with the appended drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a'd-is'c applicator embodying the invention;

Fig. '2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective vie'wbi the 'disc applicator, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section of a portion of the disc applicator. v

Referring now in detailto the drawing, the disc applicator shown therein includesanapplicator wheel II (Fig. l), which receives annular insulating discs I2-l2 made of polymerized ethylene from a chute l3and applies the annular insulating discs to a central conductor l4 being advanced toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, at a predetermined rate of speed by suitable .advancing' means, such as a capstan (not shown). A shaft 15 mounting the applicator wheel .H rotates the wheel continuously in a clockwise 'direction at a peripheral rate of speed just slightly less than that of the central conductor I4. An applicator wheel .2l is designed to receive insulati'n'g discs 22-.22, which are identical with the insulating discs 12-42, from alchute 23 and applies the insulating discs 22-42. to the central conductor M alternately with the discs 12- -12 applied by the applicator wheel I l. The applicator wheel 21 is mounted on a shaft 25, which rotates it continuously in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, at a peripheral rate of speed identical with that of the applicator wheel H.

A reciprocable plunger 26 pushes the insulating discs I2"I 2 from the chute 13 into wide-mouthed sockets 30 30 formed in the periphery of the applicato'r wheel H. Backing plates 3l-'3l, which are disposed on radii of the applicator wheel II and form walls of the sockets 3i l3ll, are of a height almostas great as the diameter of the annular insulating discs I2-l2. Also, the widthof the backing plates 3l3l is as great as the diameter of the insulating discs I2-l2 so that the backing platescontact substantially the ehti're faces of the discs l2-'|2. Sides 32"-32 of the sockets '3ll30 taper outwardly from bottoms 363B thereof. I

The applicator wheel ll, after it receives one of the insulating discs [2-12, moves the disc facewi'se past a knife 33 which forms a radial slit 34 (Fig, 2) therein and opens the slit somewhat as the disc is moved thereover. After the radial slit has been formed in the disc I2, the applicato'r wheel I l moves it over a guide 35 which ent'ers'the radial slit and holds it open. The guide 35 maintains the disc in an orientated position v with respect to the applicator wheel H with the slit disposed radially of the applicator wheel Grooves 40-40 formed in the backing plates 3|-3|, provide clearance for the knife 33, the arcuate guide 35 and the central conductor l4.

, Grooves 4|-4| formed in shoulders 42-42 of the applicator wheel I I perform a function similar to 'that of the grooves 40-40, as do grooves 43-43 formed in shoulders 44-44 of the applicator wheel H. The grooves 43-43 are merely extensions of the grooves 40-40, and the grooves 40-40, 4|-4| and 43-43 are arcs of a circle having the shaft l5 as the center thereof. The applicator Wheel also is provided with elongated recesses 45-4'5 positioned between the shoulders 42-42 and 44-44.

A reciprocable plunger 46 feeds the annular insulating discs 22-22 into sockets 50-50 formed in the applicator wheel 2 which is provided with backing plates ii-4| identical with the backing plates 3|-3| of the applicator wheel The applicator wheel 2| is identical with the applicator wheel H, and has sides 52-52 of the sockets 50-50, which taper outwardly from bottoms 56-56 of these sockets. After the insulating discs 22-22 have been inserted into the sockets 50-50, the backing plates 5 |-5| force them past a knife 53, which forms radial slits similar to radial slit 34 therein, and holds the slits somewhat open. The insulating discs 22-22 then are slid along an arcuate guide 55 which enters the radial slits and are fed to and are wiped over the central conductor l4.

The backing plates '5|-5| are provided with grooves 60-60 formed centrally therein to provide clearance for the knife 53, the guide 55, and the central conductor |4. Grooves 6|-6| formed in shoulders 62-62 of'the applicator wheel 2| and grooves 63-63 formed in shoulders 64-64 of this applicator wheel, perform functions similar to those performed by the grooves 60-60. Recesses 65-65 formed in the periphery of the applicator wheel 2| provide clearance for the backing plates 3|-3| of the applicator wheel II and the insulating discs |2-|2 as the insulating discs |2-|2 are'applied to the central conductor l4. Likewise, the recesses 45-45 formed in the applicator wheel provide clearance for the backing plates '5|-5| of the applicator wheel 2| and the insulating discs 22-22 as the discs 22-22 are applied to the central conductor. The applicator wheel I is indexed with respect to the applicator wheel 2| so that the insulating discs |2-|2 carried thereby are applied to the central conductor alternately with the insulating discs 22-22 with the discs |2-|2 and 22-22 spaced uniformly on the conductor.

chutes l3 and 23 and the plungers 26 and 46. The insulating discs are then moved past and are slit by the knives 33 and 53 as the backing plates 3|-3| and 5|-5| press the insulating discs firmly against the knives. The insulating discs |2-l2 and 22-22 then are slid over the guides 35 and 55, respectively, which maintain the slits in positions in which the slits are directed radially central conductor M, the applicator wheels wipe the insulating discs onto the central conductor I4, the central conductor l4 entering the openings in the insulating discs through the opened radial, slits with a wiping movement. As the discs are wiped onto the central conductor, they leave the The knife 33 has a centering bead 10 which enters the opening in the annular insulating discs |2-|2 and maintains the discs |2-I2 against the bottoms of the sockets 30-30. The knife 33 and are properly positioned. The knife 53 (Fig.

1) is identical with the knife 33 and performs a function similar to that of the knife 33,

a In the operation of the disc applicator, the insulating discs |2-|2 and 22-22 are fed to the applicator wheels H and 2|, respectively, by the the backing plates 3|-3| arcuate guides 35 and-55. The applicator wheels I and 2| push'the insulating discs |2-|2 and 22-22, respectively, over the central conductor |4 until the central conductor rests in the openings in the annular insulating discs at which time the central conductor also rests in one of the grooves 30-30 or 60-60 depending upon whether one of the discs I 2-| 2 is :being applied, or

whether one of the discs 22-22 is being applied to the central conductor, and one of the grooves 6|-6| formed in the shoulders 62-62 and one 7 of the grooves 63-63 formed in the shoulders 64-64, or one of the grooves 4|-4| formed in the shoulders 42-42 and one of the grooves 43-43 formed in the shoulders 44-44, so that the central conductor-l4 is held in a centered position.

As the discs |2-|2 are applied to the central conductor 4 by th applicator wheel H, the recesses 65-65 formed in the applicator wheel 2| 45-45 provide clearance for the backing plates 5l-5l and the discs 22-22. a V r The apparatus is synchronized so that, when one of the sockets 30-30 is moved into alignment with the plunger 26, the plunger 26 is actuated and pushes one of the insulating discs l2-l2 into the adjacent socket. The applicator wheel I is continuously rotating and since the plunger 26 cannot move theinsulating discs |2-|2 instantaneously into the sockets 30-30, the-sockets are made wide-mouthed to permit the recipro-v cable plunger 26 to move one of the insulating discs |2-l2 into one of the sockets 30-30 without jamming against the shoulder 42 adjacent to the socket. The actuation of the reciprocable plunger 26 and the movement of the applicator wheel II are so timed that the insulating discs |2-|2 reach the bottoms 36-36 of the sockets 30-30 just as move into contact with the insulating discs |2-| 2. The backing plates are large enough to contact substantially one entire face of each of the insulating discs |2-|2. The backing plates 3 |-3| provide good frictional contact with the insulating discs |2-| 2, and since they engage substantially an entire face of each of the discs I 2-| 2, they prevent deformation of the disc and prevent the discs from being twisted out of thesockets as they press the discs over the knife 33, 'the guide35 and the central conductor. The applicator wheel 2| is similarly loaded with the insulating 'discs 22-22 by the plunger 43, and moves in synchronization with the plunger '46 and the applicator wheel H.

The grooves 40-40 and 60-60 are just wide enough "to provide clearance for the knives '33 and 53, respectively, the guides 35 and 55, respectively, and the central "conductor I4 so that they positively'supportthe portions of the discs 'l'2-l2 and 22-2-2, respectively, adjacent to the radial slits. This prevents undue deformation of the discs as they are slit, guided and wiped onto the conductor.

This apparatus sequentially slits the insulating discs and places them on the central conductor without damaging them. It applies the insulating discs I2-l2 and 22-22 perpendicularly to the central conductor M at highspeed without jamming of the insulating discs and without any of the insulating discs falling out of the sockets 30-30 and 50-50.

What i claimed is:

1. A disc applicator, which comprises a pair of indexed applicator wheels each of said wheels being provided with a plurality of sockets for carrying a plurality of insulating discs, and means for rotating the wheels in inrunning directions, said wheels being provided with outwardly projecting backing plates forming walls of the sockets for contacting substantially an entire face of each of the insulating discs and also being provided with grooves in the peripheries thereof for centering a central conductor therebetween, each of said wheels being provided with a plurality of recesses to provide clearance for the backing plates of the other wheel.

2. A disc applicator, which comprises a pair of applicator wheels having sockets formed in the peripheries thereof, means for rotating the applicator Wheels in inrunning directions in an indexed relationship with the sockets formed in one of the wheels staggered with respect to the sockets formed in the other wheels, a pair of reciprocable plungers for engaging the edges of annular insulating discs for pushing the insulating discs toward the applicator wheels to insert the insulating discs in the sockets, said sockets being wide-mouthed to provide clearance for the insulating discs as they are inserted into the sockets, said applicator wheels having projecting backing plates forming the rear walls of said sockets, said backing plates being disposed radially with respect to the applicator wheels and being large enough to contact substantially an entire face of each of the insulating discs, each of said applicator wheels being provided with recesses for providing clearance for the backing plates of the other applicator wheel and also having peripheral grooves formed therein for receiving a central conductor being advanced therebetween.

3. For use with a pair of feed chutes, a pair ofreciprocable plungers for pushing insulating discs from the feed chutes, a pair of knives for slitting the insulating discs and a pair of arcuate guides, means for applying the insulating discs to a central conductor which comprises a pair of applicator Wheels having sockets formed in the peripheries thereof for receiving the insulating discs from the feed chutes and for moving the insulating discs over the knives and the arcuate guides, means for rotating the applicator wheels in inrunning directions in an indexed relationship with the sockets formed in one of the applicator wheels staggered with respect to the sockets "formed in the other wheel, the forward walls of the sockets being tapered forwardly from the bottoms of the'socket's to provide clearance for the insulating disc's as they are inserted into the sockets, 't'heirea'r walls of said sockets being disposed radially with respect to the applicator wheels and projecting outwardly from the peripheries of the applicator wheels so that the rear walls contact substantially an entire face of each of the insulating discs, 'each of said applicator wheels being provided with recesses for providing clearance for the rear walls of the sockets of the other applicator Wheels and also having peripheral grooves formed therein for receiving the central conductor.

4. A disc applicator, which comprises a pair of applicator wheels, a backing plate projecting substantially radially from the periphery of one of the applicator wheels and having a height substantially equal to that of a, slit insulating disc for wiping the disc upon a conductor, a second backing plate projecting substantially radially from the periphery of the other applicator wheel and having a height substantially equal to that of a second slit insulating disc for wiping that disc upon the conductor, and means for rotating the applicator wheels in inrunning directions in such synchronization that the backing plate projecting from one of the wheels is staggered'with respect to the backing plate projecting from the other wheel, whereby clearance for the backing plates and insulating discs carried thereby is provided.

5. A disc applicator, which camprises a pair of applicator wheels mounted in a single plane and in close proximity to one another, a backing plate projecting radially from the periphery of one of the wheels and also having a groove to provide clearance for a central conductor, a second backing plate projecting radially from the periphery of the other applicator wheel and also having a groove to provide clearance for a central conductor, each of said backing plates being large enough to contact substantially an entire face of an insulating disc, a pair of shoulders projecting from the periphery of one of the wheels at points spaced therealong, a pair of shoulders projecting from the periphery of the other wheel at points spaced therealong, the shoulders projecting from each wheel being spaced far enough apart to provide clearance for the backing plate projecting from the other wheel and an insulating disc carried thereby, and means for rotating the wheels in inrunning directions in such synchronization that the backing plate projecting from each wheel projects between the shoulders projecting from the other wheel as it is moved therepast and the shoulders projecting from each of the wheels are juxtaposed to the shoulders projecting from the other wheel as they are rotated past each other, whereby a central conductor is supported between the opposed shoulders of the two wheels.

6. A disc applicator, which comprises a pair of applicator wheels mounted for rotation in positions in which the periphery of one wheel is substantially tangential to the periphery of the other, means for rotating the applicator wheels in inrunning directions at equal peripheral rates of speed, each of said Wheels being provided with a notch in the periphery thereof of a depth substantially half of the diameter of an infrom which it projects, each wheel being provided with a relieved portion in the periphery thereof for providing clearance for the back- 10 mg plate projecting from the other Wheel and a, disc carried thereby.

' ELMER J. LARSEN.

8 REFERENCES CITQEDV The'following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date Name Wagner Aug. 15, 1944 Weston Sept. '7, 1937 Johnson et al. Mar. 5, 19 10 Bertalan Augj15, 1944 v 

